In medical interventions, it is often the case that vessels, organs, tissues or other medical objects cannot be gripped and held directly by hand. This applies in particular in microinvasive interventions. In these cases, gripping tools are used. These constitute forceps, at least in the broader sense. For different uses, in particular for tissue with different mechanical properties and of different sensitivity, a wide range of different medical gripping tools are available in order to permit gripping and holding in a way that is safe and at the same time gentle and non-traumatic.
DE 10 2007 026 721 A1 and DE 10 2010 009 259 A1 describe shape-adaptive medical gripping tools based on the fin ray effect. DE 10 2007 050 018 A1 describes a medical gripping tool with spring elements in fluid chambers or for supporting gripping surfaces.
A medical gripping tool based on the fin ray effect can adapt at least partially to the shape of a gripped or held object. The size of the contact surface between gripping tool and gripped object can thus be increased. Moreover, it permits gripping that is based partially on a form fit. However, further improvements are desirable in order in particular to permit still more sensitive gripping.